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At the Children’s Resource and Referral Program we know how difficult it is for parents to find the right child care provider. We believe that it is our job to increase the choices that parents have. We also believe that it is very important that all child care is of the highest quality.
Child care providers have the responsibility to nurture and keep children safe as well as prepare them for successfully transitioning into school. To help you with this awesome responsibility, the Children’s Resource and Referral Program offers training and technical assistance on a variety of topics.
Obtaining a Child Care License
The first step to becoming a licensed child care provider is to attend the appropriate Licensing Orientation. For Orientation schedule and additional information on Community Care Licensing call: (805) 682-7647 or visit their website at: Community Care Licensing Division
To become a family child care home provider, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Attend a licensing orientation, and pay a fee to attend.
- Have your fingerprints taken for a Child Abuse Index Check for yourself and anyone over the age of 18 in your home, and assistants. Everyone fingerprinted must also sign a statement that they have never been convicted of a crime other than minor traffic violations.
- Have a current tuberculosis clearance, as well as anyone over the age of 18 in the home or present during the time that children will be in care.
- Complete 15 hours of training in Preventative Health Practices, which include Pediatric First Aid and CPR.
- Have a smoke detector and fire extinguisher in the home where child care takes place.
- Submit a licensing application with all required materials
- Pay an annual fee to maintain a current license.
To start a licensed child care center, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Attend a series of licensing orientations
- Verify that the directors and teachers have at least 12 units in early childhood education. Directors must also have at least three units in administration and staff relations.
- Obtain fingerprint cards and a Child Abuse Index Check for yourself and staff. Everyone that is fingerprinted must also sign a statement that he/she has never been convicted of a crime other than minor traffic violations.
- Obtain a fire clearance from the Fire Marshall
- Submit a licensing application and all required materials
- Meet local government land use requirements
Licensing information:
In most instances, child care providers are small businesses. You need to market your business as any other small business in our community. Advertising through the yellow pages of the phone book, local newspaper ads, and radio are all good methods. Business cards and flyers are highly recommended.
Of course, the Children’s Resource and Referral Program will refer parents to you. However, once we give them your telephone number, it is up to the parent to make the initial call. It is important to keep us to date on your available openings or any changes to your program.
Professional Associations:
Family Child Care Home Providers and Child Care Centers have professional associations that offer support, resources, and opportunities to meet others in the child care field. The associations meet regularly in your local area. To join your local association, contact the President for meeting dates and locations.
Santa Maria Association of Family Child Care Providers , Christine Fleenor - (805) 937-0675
Santa Barbara Family Child Care Association, Laura McKone - (805) 964-0514
Center Directors Support Group, Helen Pasely - (805) 687-6362
Santa Barbara Association for the Education of Young Children, Debi Badger - (805) 730-1126
You can also visit the following websites:
Santa Barbara Family Child Care Association (SBFCCA)
Santa Maria Association of Family Child Care Providers (SMAFCCP)
A license child care provider must have a current CPR and First Aid EMSA approved certification. For information on the next available class in your area, contact our Children’s Resource and Referral Program for a list of classes or referral to the appropriate agencies.
The Children’s Resource and Referral Program assists child care providers with the cost of getting and updating CPR/Pediatric First Aid and the Health & Safety Certifications. Providers may apply for reimbursement contingent on availability of funds. A maximum of $65 will be reimbursed for Family Child Care Providers and a maximum of $350 for a Child Care Center. To apply simply download the application and mail it in with a copy of your receipt(s), a copy of the front and back of your card (s) verifying the class was conducted by an EMSA certified instructor.
Health & Safety Reimbursement Application Form.
PDF format MS Word format
There are many opportunities and resources to support a child care provider’s ongoing professional development. The Children’s Resource and Referral Program conducts regular workshops and an Annual Child Development Conference. |
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| Santa Barbara Training Calendar | Santa Maria Training Calendar |
For many child care providers attending workshops and classes in the evening and on weekends can be a challenge. A new resource is available right on your television! Produced by KCET/Hollywood with funding from large foundations, including the First 5 California, First 5 LA ,California Community Foundation and BP, you can watch the daily program A Place of our Own or the Spanish version Los Niños en Su Casa from the convenience of your own home. For times to watch, contact your local public television station.
In addition to watching the daily segments, A Place of Our Own/Los Niños en su Casa has a wonderful website with an array of resources. Building on what is covered in each episode, the website provides information on a variety of topics included in the series. A Place of Our Own
Child Development Lending Library
The Child Development Lending Library is open daily in each of our office locations. To be a member of the Library, you must complete a library contract that lists the requirements for your participation.
The library is filled with many great toys, books, videos, and instructional materials that you can borrow for two weeks at a time. You may borrow up to six items. In addition to these resources, we also have a laminator and die cut machine that you can use.
At times, we may open the library in the evenings to accommodate child care provider’s busy schedules. We also offer mini workshops on activities that you can do with children during these evening hours.
The Children’s Resource and Referral Program publishes a quarterly newsletter for child care providers. The newsletter is filled with information that will assist you with your business, link you to other support programs and keep you informed about Early Care and Education legislation and funding. The newsletter is mailed out to all child care providers on our mailing list. If you are not getting a newsletter, please call the resource and referral program to ensure you are on our mailing list.
The Child Care Initiative Project is designed to recruit and train family child care home providers in order to address the shortage of licensed quality child care in Santa Barbara County. Our staff will support and assist you with the licensing process, evaluate your home environment to ensure that it meets licensing standards.
Participation in the project requires that potential child care providers attend a series of training that includes; the business aspects of child care, tax preparation, and best practices in caring for infants and toddlers. Incentives are offered for completion of required training. The chart below shows the levels and required minimum hours of training a family child care home provider must achieve:
| Level I | Level II | Level III |
| (42 Hours Minimum.) | (40 Hours Minimum) | (9 Hours Minimum) |
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Completion of the Child Care Initiative Project is the first step to eligibility to Stipends for Training and Retention, STAR, program. This program offers child care providers cash incentives for achieving continued professional development in early care and education. Additionally, family child care providers become eligible to the Spruce Up for Kids program. This program offers grants to child care home providers to improve their program and child care environment.
For more information on these programs call:
| CCIP: | Sylvia Cruz, Program Manager 805.925.7071 |
| STAR: | Sharol Viker, Program Manager 805.739.8745 |
| Spruce Up for Kids: | Teresa Rios Program Specialist in Maxine Rangel Program Specialist in |
Accreditation
Both family child care home providers and child care centers can be accredited by professional associations. In order to become accredited, homes and centers must meet certain standards in addition to basic licensing requirements. While accreditation can be an indicator of quality, the fact that a child care site is accredited does not guarantee quality.
National organizations providing accreditation:
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). Call 800.359.3817
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).Call 800.424.2460
American Montessori Society. Call 212.358.1250
Association Montessori International, USA. Call 716.461.5920
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Call 916.424.2460
National Early Childhood Program. Call 800.505.9878
Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE). Call 213.663.5330
Spruce Up for Kids is designed to help family child care home providers to improve the quality of their child care program and environment. We recognize how difficult it is to find the financial resources needed to invest in your business. Spruce Up for Kids offers cash grants up to $2,500. To be eligible, a family child care provider must be caring for at least 2 children, birth-5 years of age who are not related and be in good standing with Community Care Licensing. You must also attend a mandatory informational workshop and participate in pre and post home visits. Additionally, you must engage the parents of children in your care, neighbors and friends in the activities on Spruce Up for Kids Day. You will also need to seek community support through donated good and labor.
This service is funded by the First 5 Commission of Santa Barbara. For more information about this program, call our Children’s Resource & Referral Program.
The Resource and Referral program has recently hired an Inclusion Specialist that provides child care referrals for callers who have a child or children with special needs. A fundamental component of providing successful child care is recognizing parents as experts on their child’s needs and behavior. The Inclusion Specialist joins the parents’ knowledge of their child with your experience as a child care provider to formulate a working plan of care that both you and the parent can invest in.
Along with providing referrals to families, the Inclusion Specialist will offer you various trainings in transition plans for integrating a child with special needs into your facility and will make individual technical support available to you as needed. The aforementioned efforts made by the Inclusion Specialist are intended to increase your confidence and comfort level when caring for children with special needs. A major responsibility of the Inclusion Specialist is to support you as child care providers in adapting the activities and the environment at their facility in a way that ensures your curriculum will be accessible to all of the children you care for.
Stipends for Training and Retention, STAR
Child care providers in centers or family child care homes may be eligible to receive cash awards for professional development. This program is offered through the Office of Early Care and Education/First Five. To find out more about this program you can call:
STAR in Santa Barbara
1 E. Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805.560-1037STAR in Santa Maria
218 W. Carmen Ln., Suite 111
Santa Maria, CA 93455
805.739.8745Visit their web site: